‘Couldn’t give a f**k’: Les Boyd reignites 41-year feud with Darryl Brohman

NRL Hall of Fame inductee Les Boyd has fired back after Darryl Brohman blasted the selection, reigniting a 40-year grudge.

The bad blood has been boiling for 41-years.

Les Boyd has delivered a brutal response to Darryl Brohman’s comments about his NRL Hall of Fame induction, saying “I couldn’t give a f**k”.

Boyd, who played 17 Tests for Australia and eight Origins for NSW in the late 1970s and early 1980s, was named among 11 players who will be inducted into the NRL Hall of Fame this season.

Lionel Morgan, Ben Elias, Steve Renouf, Cameron Smith, Johnathan Thurston, Billy Slater, Benji Marshall, Cooper Cronk, Greg Inglis and Sam Burgess are the other inductees.

Watch every game of every round this NRL Telstra Premiership Season LIVE with no ad-breaks during play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial today >

But it was Boyd’s selection that started a storm as former Maroons forward turned TV and radio personality Darryl Brohman blasted the selection.

Brohman has a longstanding beef with Boyd after a 1983 State of Origin Game 1 incident where a raised elbow in a front-on tackle from Boyd left Brohman with a broken jaw.

In the match, Boyd was not sent off with Queensland only given a penalty, but he was later given a 12-month suspension.

Brohman was believed to be in contention for Australian selection but didn’t play again in the 1983 season, maintaining it cost him a Kangaroos jersey, a feat he never achieved.

Brohman also took legal action against Boyd, with the case being settled out of court.

In 1984, Boyd was given a 15-month ban for eye gouging Canterbury’s Billy Johnstone.

On Monday, Brohman tweeted: “Les Boyd…..9 Months suspension for breaking my Jaw in 1983. 12 Months for Eye gouging Billy Johnston … … Gets inducted into the Rugby League Hall of Fame. Please!!!!”

Brohman hasn’t forgotten or forgiven.

But Boyd has fired back.

“He should be grateful that I did it, otherwise no one would remember him,” Boyd told News Corp.

“Honestly, I couldn’t give a f**k. Let him worry about it. He’s the one who can’t let it go. I’m over it. It’s in the past.”

Boyd said that the pair had crossed paths “six or seven years ago” at the Gundagai races.

“He came up to me and said he felt uncomfortable and that he would come over and say ‘g’day’,” Boyd said.

“I said ‘don’t feel uncomfortable, enjoy the races, I don’t give a ‘f**k’ and I walked away. That’s the only time I’ve spoken to him.”

Brohman has long maintained his fury over the incident, telling News Corp in 2013: “At the end of the day he doesn’t like me and I don’t like him. I am happy for him not to be part of my life and he would feel the same.”

The incident from all those years ago.

Les Boyd on his farm in the Cootamundra Valley in December 2018.

However, he did admit at the time he had “never been really comfortable with what I did” in suing Boyd.

Speaking after the NRL’s announcement, ARLC chairman Peter V’landys supported the Hall of Fame committee’s decision, which was made in July.

“I’m in awe of this group of players and what they have each done in the game and for the game,” Mr V’landys said.

“This is the best of the best across several phenomenal eras. The group is full of Premiership winners, Dally M Medal winners, Clive Churchill Medal winners, Australia, New Zealand and England representatives.

“There are brilliant halves, powerful and durable forwards and gifted outside backs. All of these players are exceptional.”

The NRL has already announced coaching legends Jack Gibson and Wayne Bennett will be the first two coaches inducted in the Hall of Fame.

The group will be inducted into the Hall of Fame on Wednesday August 21.

Originally published as ‘Couldn’t give a f**k’: Les Boyd reignites 41-year feud with Darryl Brohman